Our Thanksgiving Celebrations

I am grateful that the three of us were able to spend the holiday week together, healthy and safe.

Thanksgiving Eve

We finally ventured out into the weather after 54 hours of being trapped inside our home during record setting low temperatures (15) and icy streets.  What a cool storm and a nice break from the office. I am so thankful that I could work from home Monday - Wednesday.

Wednesday night, we ate at Wild Ginger because they have a nice vegan selection to choose from and it is next door to the Benaroya Hall. 

We saw the 19 year old show,  Forgotten Carols starring Michael McLean.  It was a nice spiritual show about the Messiah.

 We sat in Row H, so a quick pose by the stage was easy.

 The cast of Forgotten Carols

Thanksgiving Day

The alarm went off at 5:30am!  We had originally planned to run a half-marathon this morning.  Since there was snow on the running trail and Snoqualmie Pass opened the mountain, we decided to head up to ski instead.  Alyssa did great and has a season pass this year, so we expect a lot of progress out of her. With this winter being La Nina, there will be plenty of opportunity to ski.  Today was 23 degrees and snowing.  I was impressed with the great snow for opening day.  We plan to ski on Christmas Day as well.

I began thinking about this day, many months ago.  We have been eating vegan for 6 months now.  I was a little worried how our animal free meal would pan out. 

1) Would it feel like Thanksgiving without a turkey?

2) With us planning to be gone all morning, how would I cook? 

However, we were home by 2pm and were eating by 4pm.  The meal was surprisingly great.   Troy boiled and mashed the potatoes the day prior and made the mushroom gravy, so that helped reduce the Thursday cooking.  

Our menu:  

Field Roast (aka: Grain Log)

Red potatoes - mashed

Mushroom Gravy

Roasted Butternut Squash

Steamed Brussel Sprouts

Homemade Whole Grain Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

I have to tell you one of my favorite things about this meal is that the kitchen/dishes were all cleaned up BEFORE we even sat down to eat.  The pie cooked for 30 minutes while we ate dinner and voila, what a simple, clean, healthy and stress free holiday. 

I feel so relieved that we were still able to enjoy the Holiday without contributing to the suffering or mistreatment of any animals.

By 4:45, relaxing with the warm fire, we were able to start THIS movie. 

Bedtime is at 7pm - whew, what a pleasant 24 hours this has been. 

Finally, I can't end this day without stating how happy I am that as a family we have chosen not to waste any energy,  money, risk injury, nor give up quality sleep, tonight or tomorrow on Black Friday for shopping. It makes me sad to see so many people consumed with 'stuff' and I worry about them if they do not have the cash to buy the stuff that they want.  I wish more people would find happiness in life without 'things'. 

And a shout out to all theTURKEYS who gave their life today, I am so sorry your life was so miserable and tortured.  What a sad tradition.   

Turkeys are too neat to eat
Turkeys are intelligent, inquisitive and social animals. Yet, many people do not think to turn their compassion towards them. Turkeys are flock birds that can fly up to 50mph, and even swim if necessary. As mothers, turkeys are among the most protective in the world and their young remain under their care for up to five months.

The farm is no treat for those you eat
Despite their sensitivities, turkeys are excluded from the Humane Slaughter Act. Like other animals raised for food, turkeys are systematically demeaned, tortured and slaughtered. Turkeys are reared motherless on factory farms. They are forcefully inseminated, crowded in small cages, injected with growth hormones and antibiotics, and trapped with the piercing of their own cries and the smell of their own death. For this holiday, over 250 million turkeys were killed for food.

There's plenty to eat without eating meat
Thanksgiving is a celebration of life. We ask you to take the death out of dinner and make this Thanksgiving a Gentle Thanksgiving. Share the joy and plenty of healthy breads, stuffings, vegetables, fruits and desserts. We also recommend meat alternatives such as Tofurky. Tofurky and other turkey alternatives make kind & delicious meals!